Single hand-operated dispenser for drill and driver bits

ABSTRACT

A dispense for drill and driver bits includes a generally cylindrical housing having opposing ends and having dimensions to allow the housing to be gripped and held by a hand of a user. A securing member is provided for receiving and securing drill and/or driver bits in an organized arrangement. A cover is pivotably mounted at one end of the housing for selective movement from closed and open positions. An opening member is operable by a finger of the user while holding the housing to move the cover between closed and open positions. In this way the dispenser can be held and opened or closed with one handed operation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to storage and dispenser devicesand, more specifically, to a single hand-operated dispenser for drilland driver bits.

2. Description of the Prior Art

In various storage containers have been used for storing drill anddriver bits. Depending on how many drill and/or driver bits are storedsuch storage containers can be relatively small or quite large.Typically, the storage containers have a cover or lid that must beopened to obtain access to the bits. Normally, this requires that thecontainer be held in one hand while the cover or lid is opened with theother hand. This requires, therefore, that a user must free both handsfor this operation and laying down any other tools or work, frequentlyinterrupting the normal flow of work. Additionally, once the cover orlid is opened, all of the bits within the container become exposed andmay inadvertently fall out of the container. Replacement of suchdisplaced bits can be tedious and time-consuming as such drill and/ordriver bits should be replaced in a specific order to facilitate futureuse. Also, drill and driver but containers are frequently in the shapeof rectangular housings which are difficult to grasp with one hand,particularly by those individuals that have smaller hands, this furtheraggravating the handling of such containers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a single hand-operated dispenser fordrill and driver bits. The dispenser housing is generally cylindrical tofacilitate a user to hold it in one hand. A cover or lid is pivotallymounted at one end of the housing which is a spring-loaded or otherwisebiased to normally move the cover lid to a close position, therebyensuring that the housing is normally closed and that bits cannotinadvertently fall out. A finger tab or button extends from the cover orlid and is ergonomically positioned to be proximate to the position ofthe user's thumb when the fingers of the hand holding the container arewrapped around the container as the container is held during normal use.When a bit needs to be removed or replaced into the container the fingertab or button may be actuated by the thumb to pivotably move the coveror lid to an open position thereby exposing the interior of thecontainer for dispensing the bits at the open axial end thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other objects will become apparent when the drawings of thepresent invention are considered in detail along with the specification,taken with the drawings as follows:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a single hand-operated dispenser fordrill and/or driver bits in accordance with the invention, shown withthe cover or lid is a closed condition.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the dispenser shown FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a rendering of the dispenser shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, with thecover or lid in the closed condition.

FIG. 4 is side elevational rendering of the dispenser.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the dispenser shown in FIGS. 1-4 forwhen held in a single hand with the finger tab or button depressed toopen the cover or lid while a selected drill or driver bit is removedfrom the open axial end of the dispenser.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the dispenser when held by the singlehand while a release lever is actuated by the hand holding the dispenserto open an alternate cover or lid at the other axial end to releaseloose driver bits into the user's hand.

FIG. 7 is similar to FIG. 3 with covers opened.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now more specifically to the figures, in which the identicalor similar parts will be designated by the same reference numeralsthroughout, and first referring to FIG. 1, the single hand-operateddispenser for drill and driver bits is generally designated by thereference numeral 10.

The dispenser 10 includes a generally cylindrical barrel or housing 12having a top end 14 and a bottom end 16. The opening at the top end 14is normally covered and closed by a cover or lid 20, which may be atleast partially transparent, as at 22. The cover 20 is secured to thehousing 12 by means of a connecting portion 24 which includes anoutwardly projecting finger tab or button 26 and is pivotally mountedabout a pin or rivet 28. When the cylindrical housing barrel 12 isformed of two cylindrical shells these may be secured or attached toeach other by means of screws 30. The cover 12 is preferablyspring-loaded or otherwise biased to normally move the cover 20 to theclosed position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the finger tab or button 26being located at a position that can be conveniently engaged by thethumb of the user. By downwardly pressing on the tab or button 26 thecover 22 may be pivoted to about the pin 28 to open the cover or lid 20.

At the bottom end 16 a pin, rivet or other fastener 32 is used topivotally mount a cover 34 which is likewise preferably spring-loaded orotherwise biased to move the cover 34 to the position shown in FIG. 2. Arelease lever 36 is provided at 38 to move the latching end 40 into orout of engagement with a portion of the cover 34 to lock or secure thecover in a closed position or release the cover to the open position.When released, the spring or other biasing member (not shown) can openthe cover. A finger grip 42, defining an opening 44, can also be used toopen the cover 34 whether other biasing means is or is not provided.

In FIGS. 3 and 4 renderings of the dispenser are shown, indicating agenerally cylindrical housing forming a transparent window 18 that canbe secured either to the cover 20 or to the upper end of the cylindricalhousing. However, when the cover 20 is closed the window 18 allows theuser to view the interior of the housing and the drill bits containedtherein.

FIG. 4 illustrates how one-hand operation can be used to access theinterior of the dispenser to remove a drill bit. When the fingers ofuser are wrapped around the cylindrical housing the finger tab or button26 can be actuated to lift the cover 20. The specific mechanism used forlocking the cover 20 in the closed condition or for releasing it to theopen position is not critical and any suitable latching or detentmechanism may be used for this purpose. Once the cover 20 is opened adesired drill bit 46 may be removed. Similarly, referring to FIG. 6,application of pressure, such as at 37, allows a release lever 36 topivot to an open condition, at 38, to allow the cover 34 to open,typically due to a spring or other biasing element. Once the cover 34 isopened, driver bits 50 may be removed and replaced as needed. In FIG. 7,a rendering of the dispenser illustrates the cover 20 in the openposition and the release lever 36 likewise open or released condition.

It will be appreciated that the storage container and dispenser 10 iscapable of single handed operation, for opening the covers at eitheraxial end to thereby free the other hand to select and remove a desireddrill and/or driver bit.

The specific material used for wall 12 of the storage and dispenser unit10 is not critical and is preferably made from welded plastic material.As suggested, any locking and releasing mechanisms may be used foreither the upper cover 20 or the lower cover 34, as long as in thesecovers can be selectively opened and closed with a single hand while thecontainer or dispenser is being held. The single hand-operated dispenserfor drill and driver bits in accordance with the invention is,therefore, simple and convenient to use while it allows drill and driverbits to be safely stored and organized in a way that allows for theireasy access.

While the preferred embodiments have been shown and described, it willbe understood that the there is no intention to limit the invention bysuch disclosure, but rather, it is the intention to cover allmodifications and alternate constructions falling within the spirit andscope of the appended claims.

1. Dispense for drill and driver bits comprising a generally cylindricalhousing having opposing ends and having dimensions to allow said housingto be gripped and held by a hand of a user; securing means for receivingand securing drill and/or driver bits in an organized arrangement; covermeans pivotably mounted at one end of said housing for selectivemovement from closed and open positions; opening means operable by afinger of the user while holding said housing to move said cover meansbetween said closed and open positions, whereby said dispenser can beheld and opened or closed with one handed operation.
 2. Dispenser asdefined in claim 1, wherein said housing has a bottom cover at saidother end that selectively opens or closes a compartment at said otherend for receiving generally small driver bits.
 3. Dispenser as definedin claim 1, wherein said cover means includes a transparent portion toprovide visible access to said housing.
 4. Dispenser as defined in claim1, wherein said housing has a circular cross-section.